I rarely hear correct use and applaud when I do.
People today routinely misuse the language, partly through laziness and partly because they never learned the right way. That is at least partly because their teachers didn’t know — because they were lazy and/or didn’t learn correct grammar from their teachers. The problem is that old, if not older, and I don’t see corrective change coming any time soon because teachers and journalists are equally lazy or uninformed. We speak English as we wish without a thought given to actual communication.
Another pet peeve is how often “you know” appears repeatedly in a presentation. No, if I already know, why must you tell me again? If what you are saying actually is new to me, then I don’t yet know. In either case, “you know” is wrong and not needed. Like, I mean, you know? Also, in this last example, there is no need for the word “like” in what appears to be some introduction or modifier. Properly, it is neither, but just another unneeded space filler.
Yes, English is a living language, which means there is always change, but the changes should occur within the rules of the language. New words added to the language do not change the rules of English, even as it otherwise grows. When will the Anchorage School District begin teaching English, not just street language, and have the students use correct English? How long will it take that to reach the Anchorage Daily News and Channel 2 News? The answers, I’m afraid, are never and never. I hope I’m wrong.
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